Waggers is a Razortail Whippet. The famed Razortail Whippet isn’t actually a breed recognized by the Westminster Kennel Club, but that might be because I made it up. Waggers needed his very own category. His tail is that unique. I have a feeling there are a lot of un-identified Razortail Whippets out there just waiting for Westminster Kennel Club to recognize them, too.

Aside from his destructo-tail, Waggers is really a sweet little man, who loves to do anything Moni and Michael want and will stop at nothing to protect their house from the most evil of all villains, the Sciuridae, also known as the squirrel.

I think you’re onto something, Stacy and the WKC should consider the Razortail Whippet as a new breed!

In 70 words or less, provide a succinct plot description of your story.

Moni and Michael are so excited to adopt Waggers. Waggers is too. His tail goes crazy. He can’t stop it. Moni and Michael don’t mind. Waggers is so sweet, and it’s just a tail. How much harm can it do?

What inspired you to write this story?

Waggers was inspired by our most recent family member, Desi, a German Shepherd/Rhodesian Ridgeback mix we adopted from the pound. She has got a tail on her that literally clears tables and pounds cracks in walls. It’s amazing it took me more than a week to realize she was the perfect protagonist for a story.

What was the biggest challenge you had writing your story? How did you overcome it?

The biggest obstacle to this story was to take reality and fictionalize it such that it works as story, not fictionalized reality. That must sound weird, but it’s sort of like the difference between a person trying to act vs. someone acting, or, say, pretending to be excited about a present vs. being skin-tinglingly excited.

What other YA/MG books have you written? Do any of them feature a key dog character? If so, which ones? What are these stories about?

This is my seventh book. Five of the seven are aquatic picture books. The sixth is a middle grade fiction with dragons. This is my first dog book, and it has been so much fun. I want to write about dogs all the time now. Maybe it’s because of Desi, or maybe it’s because writing this story has been so much fun. Either way, I think Waggers is the beginning of a new trend.

What kind of story can we expect next from you? Is it about a dog? If so, what is it about?

My next story is a picture book called Tour de Trike, and it’s about a tricycle race. There are no dogs, not yet anyway. The YA I’m working on is set in a drowning world. There are no dogs in it either. However, I have the outline for a new MG called Dogspell. Tada!! It’s about a dog and a girl who swap places. Literally.

What else would you like us to know about you or your story?

Hmmm…how about that that adopting a dog—which is what Waggers is all about—is one of the most exciting, most fun, most rewarding experiences, but it can be hard too. After all, a dog is a new family member. You have to get to know them and vice versa. There might be days when walking the dog is a drag (or you’re dragged). Don’t give up! It will get better. Or, you’ll fall in love with your dog and not care as much. Maybe a little of both. Desi’s tail has gotten better. She still clears a coffee table every once in a while, but I’ve seen her actually slow her tail when walking by one. And I’ve learned to put things up a little higher. But most of all, she’s become a part of our family. I can’t imagine a day without her.

Good advice, Stacy. Taking care of a new puppy or dog requires a lot of time and work.

Can you remember the first book that made an impact on you? And why?

Gosh, that’s a tough one. I’ve been reading since I was three. Go Dog Go was my most favorite book then. It was the book that taught me to read, the one I memorized, the one I took with me when I ran away from home at the age of 3 to go to school. I followed our neighbor to the high school around the corner, found my way to the principal’s office. He said I’d have to be able to read to go to his school. I proudly whipped out Go Dog Go and read it cover to cover. I got a tour of the school after that, and I was in preschool the next week. Go Dog Go!

Thats’ a great story and why am I not surprised that you’d want to start at high school?

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Everybody’s road to publication is different. Don’t be afraid to try anything, no matter how crazy, in your writing. And don’t give up. It can get hard, really hard some days. But the people who make it are the ones who stick with it. That advice has stuck with me through some pretty bleak moments, and gotten me through them.

I agree a 100%. It’s the writers who stick with it and struggle through the tougher times that finally see a contract.

Where can readers go to find out more information about you and/or your books?

My website is a great place to start. If they don’t find enough there, or on FB, Twitter, or my blog, drop me an email. I’d love to hear from you!

My friend Rachel Wilson, author of the soon to be released YA novel Don’t Touch, invited me to participate in this blog tour about the writing process. Every author on the tour answers some questions about his or her own writing process, and then tags two other authors to answer next. Rachel asked me to participate. And she’s way too special to me to ever say no! Keep your eye out on her career. She’s going to kill it. You can read her responses here; mine are below!

What am I currently working on?

After finishing my MG novel, SPANKY: A Soldier’s Son, I gave up my writer’s horse (yes, horse) to become a boat captain and navigator. However, since we’re docked for an extended time, I’m back in the saddle again. At the risk of sounding Sybilesque, my moods decide the project on which I’ll work. Whimsical playful moods can only be sated by picture book writing in rhyme—the most difficult writing there is if you want to do it well. I love the irony in that. I have at least six picture books in various states of revision.

But my go-to project is a MG novel set in 1968 at the time of the famous Miss America Pageant protest where women had intended to burn their bras. I am completing it’s zillionth revision in preparation to market it traditionally some day soon.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

Argh! I’ve written the answer to this question three times. Okay. Call it a philosophical-difference block. I’ll say that my work differs from others in my genre by voice, plot and character arcs; by how I kick off my stories, by my tone, my selection of setting and theme etc. etc.—all the choices that make every writer’s manuscript completely unique—even if they’re similar sounding stories.

But okay, I tend to write stories that echo my pre-teen years, surviving bullies, brothers, and coming of age wonders and difficulties, but that hardly differentiates me. I lived in my imagination for most of my childhood and adoles— okay, for my whole life and my MCs tend to as well. That is, until they figure out that to survive, you have to act (or become a MG writer!)

Why do I write what I write?

Without fail, I don’t find out what I’m writing about, why I’ve written it, or what epiphany I will come to through the process until I reach the end of the first draft. That’s when I realize what the story was really about. And I have to rewrite the whole thing. Like many MG writers, I’m stuck in that stage of my life, trying to make sense of it all. I guess you could say I’m unveiling early agnsts and rewriting how they turn out by adding what had been missing the first time–empowerment.

How does my individual writing process work?

Back to the Sybil and my moods . . . Truly, my unusual life dictates my actual process. Living on a boat, some days, I am captaining, navigating, or doing crew work (provisioning, cleaning, cooking, repairing, or maintenance). In a way, it’s the same as living in a house and leading a normal life. No. Really, it’s not at all like a normal life. The urgency of attention, response, and action is heightened on a boat. And I am attention challenged–it’s impossible not to be distracted by changes in sounds and scenery. Finding my way into the fictive dream doesn’t work well for me when we’re moving. So when I’m “off duty,” I revise and edit. After we’re docked, I can dig in and become a writer again.

And that’s my story! I’m tagging two more authors who’ll be sharing their
answers with you next week, so be sure to visit their blogs!

Next up on the blog tour:

I met Janeen Mason through Florida SCBWI, drawn by her talent, but more so by her generosity of spirit. Besides her Ocean Commotion series and MANY other picture books, check out Janeen’s accolades as an author/illustrator: Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award, the U.S. Maritime Literature Award, the Benjamin Franklin Award, the National Award for Excellence in Communities, the Moonbeam Children’s Book Award, the iParenting Media Award, and more. And that is only the whisper of a breath about a woman who inspires children, artists, and art collectors everywhere. On Monday, May 5th, she’ll be sharing her process at http://www.janeenmason.com/blog.html.

Lisa Doan and I met while gorging ourselves on MFAs from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She was THE funniest person on campus. And she brings that amazing humor to her work. Lisa writes middle grade. (She will tell you herself that she will never be mature enough to write YA). Her series, The Berenson Schemes, launched 4/1/2014 with Jack the Castaway. It follows the quest for survival of sensible Jack as he is continually lost in a foreign wilderness by his insensible parents Richard and Claire. Lisa identifies with Richard and Claire, having spent a large amount of her adulthood roaming the planet, but this has led to the uncomfortable idea that she, like them, may have misplaced offspring somewhere. But she figures nearly everywhere has cell phone service these days, so she’ll just wait for a call. (Secret message she sends to lost offspring – First, it was an adventure. Second, Sorry ‘bout that – call me!)

Several years ago (*cough* nearly thirty *cough*), in a small church camp in western New York, two girls met — two girls who had similar interests, and who looked so much alike, people mistook them for sisters. Though one was a city mouse and one was a country mouse, they spent their teenage years as fast friends.

One of those girls is Julie Berry.

The other is me.

Some of you might know Julie from her debut, The Amaranth Enchantment, or her sophomore novel, Secondhand Charm. My gingerbread boys love her best for her work on the Splurch Academy series with her sister, Sally Gardner. I’m thrilled to have Julie come talk to us about her young adult novel, All the Truth That’s in Me, which has already garnered much praise, and many starred reviews.

I’ve read it, folks, and I’m not biased when I tell you it’s fantastic. So don’t be surprised when you hear the title being tossed around as a Contender. You know, a CONTENDER.

Since I know Julie, I felt no obligation to ask her real questions. Serious questions. Questions that might be found in, you know, a School Library Journalinterview, or a review in Publisher’s Weekly or New York Journal of Books (here). Instead, I returned to our teenage years and asked her some teenage questions. Without further ado, here’s Julie.

GJ: You know that food is a priority for me. Judith Finch has no refrigerator. If she did, what would I find in hers?

JB: Food has less to offer Judith than it offers you or me because of what’s happened to her. And it’s somewhat more difficult to eat. Bitter and sour are flavors she can taste, and that’s not me trying to be metaphorical, though I do find it interesting. I think she’d have a fairly pragmatic relationship to food. She eats it because she needs it to live, not as a source of much pleasure. So, I think she’d have the sorts of nourishing staples she can produce herself on the farm. We’d find bread and grain cereals, then; vegetables and stews; eggs and milk and cheeses and butter. Probably an occasional chicken.

GJ: Oh yeah. This is a serious book, even if this isn’t a serious interview. So with the appropriate level of seriousness, I ask, what would I find in your refrigerator?

JB: Some of the same things. I never met a dairy product I didn’t like. I often say that when my children grow up and leave the house, I won’t bother with meals anymore. My entire diet will consist of things that can be eaten on a cracker or a celery stick. I went to Trader Joe’s Saturday and stocked up on some of my faves: hummus, feta/yogurt dip, blue cheese/pecan dip, roasted red pepper spread. Cheese, rice crackers, veggies, and dips are about all I need, plus cereal with fruit. And an occasional chicken.

GJ: My brother-in-law brought a rubber chicken to his prom. What would Judith wear to the prom?

JB: Judith would so skip her prom. So did I, come to think of it. I probably would have gone with my boyfriend, but he won a trip to Fermilab National Particle Accelerator, and so he missed it, and I didn’t bother going. Spend all that money on a dress? No way. What was wrong with me? You went to a zillion proms. I used to love looking at all your prom pictures and outfits. You were so cool and glamorous. Our goofy church youth group dances and “Rock Lobster” were more my style.

GJ: Ha. Yes, I guess I attended far more proms than the average 16-year old. But, to my credit, I went to an all-girls’ high school, and then there was that all-boys’ high school….but honestly, I preferred our goofy church youth group dances, too. Since a dress plays an important role in the novel, I have to ask what was your favorite dress?

JB: My mom used to sew all my dresses, growing up. I loved picking out the patterns and the fabrics with her, and designing unusual combinations. It meant every dressy outfit I owned was both a creative statement on my part, and a token of my mother’s love for me. The dress she made me that I still keep is my wedding dress. It’s very simple, not wedding-y at all. Just a basic cream dress overlaid with lace, and it fits like a glove. As I think about this, I recall that Judith learned to sew from her mother, and holds onto those memories as fragments of her mother’s love. Hmm…

GJ: Your wedding dress was beautiful. And your mom is delightful. Especially when she talks in her sleep. Anyway, back to you and Judith. We know that Judith has been made mute. If she were a teenager today, would she tweet or use Facebook?

JB: Wow, it’s hard for me to picture Judith living today. I hope that the world would respond very differently to an ordeal like hers, so she wouldn’t have to suffer now as she did then. But I’m not naïve. Disfigurement and speech impediments can still be serious problems to overcome socially. The world might judge less, but it still gawks. Would Judith find a voice through social media? She’s got a lot of things to say, a long history of repressed speech needing to find a voice. But she’s also reticent, with a dignified self-control in her silence – like Hester Prynne, whose silence comes by choice, and is a source of power. I’m inclined to say Twitter rather than Facebook, because Judith favors the short, intense burst. Twitter forces succinct expression, and by its design it’s more about saying your say, and less about seeing how others respond. Judith wouldn’t get too worried about no one liking her posts.

GJ: Well, I would love her posts. When I was an art student back in the day, a teacher said that any portrait an artist drew would have a shadow of the artist within it. In other words, the portrait would look like the artist as well as the subject of the portrait (like this portrait I drew of you when I was in college, which is a bad photocopy, btw — Peekaboo! I see you! Or do I see me?). Where is your shadow in this book?

JB: Your prior questions have already shown me some shadows I wasn’t aware of. Others, I know better. I confess this question makes me squirm a bit, both because it’s awkward to compare myself to a rock star like Judith, and because the parts of me she inherits are such vulnerable, embarrassing qualities. I’ll try to answer this way: I can understand Judith’s longing, and the painful predicament of feeling doomed to love someone forever out of reach. I can understand the spiritual and emotional way Judith connects to nature. And I can understand her feelings of social unworthiness and unwantedness, and particularly, the way she compares and contrasts herself to other girls who seem so confident in their femininity. On another, stranger note, as I wrote All the Truth, I contracted whooping cough. For three months I coughed so much that I developed asthmatic symptoms. My throat would close without warning, and I spent months fearing episodes where I wouldn’t be able to breathe. This made me hyper-alert to every aspect of my mouth, throat, and breath. I think that heightened awareness informed my writing as I tried to understand Judith’s path back to speech.

GJ: Socially unworthy? Julie. Never. But the whooping cough? Scary. When was your first inkling that you wanted to be a writer?

JB: I was a reader girl. I spent my childhood tucked away in corners reading books. I remember building little caves for myself in the corner of our den, built of couch cushions and blankets, where I would curl up and read for hours. I can still picture myself there, finishing a dog-eared novel for the tenth time, and wondering if someday I could ever be smart enough and creative enough to write a book of my own.

GJ: Don’t you wish you could still build a little cave for yourself in the corner of your living room with cushions and blankets and read for hours? I do. Maybe I will. Maybe the gingerbread boys will come home from school tomorrow to find me holed up reading. Maybe I won’t come out. At least, not until I have to make supper. Sigh. It’s tough being an adult. Judith is 18, in many ways already an adult. Tell us what you were doing when you were 18.

JB: The short answer is: flirting, studying, and working.

I was a sophomore in college. I started the year as an English major at SUNY Albany, and I worked part-time as a photocopying gopher at Metropolitan Insurance to pay the bills. I roomed with five college kids whom I loved in a shabby Victorian flat in Troy, NY. My bedroom was unheated. My roommates were students at RPI, where I had started college, then left when I realized chemistry was not the career path for me. Midway through that sophomore year, I made the decision to return to RPI and major in technical communication, which was a happy marriage of writing and science. I was thrilled to return to RPI, and especially to land a job as an RA in the dorms which offset my living costs, though I was sad to leave the apartment (though my dorm room had heat, hurray!). Most of that year was boyfriend-free, with lots of hanging out with groups of friends, though by the end of that year I’d started dating a hockey-playing bass guitarist in a college band. I guess that made me a groupie.

In short, no one will ever write a novel about Julie’s 18th year. We’re better off with Judith’s.

GJ: I had forgotten you went to SUNY Albany for a blip in time. No heat, though? What was your landlord thinking? Brrr. What did you learn from writing ALL THE TRUTH THAT’S IN ME?

JB: I learned that writing is more than we think it is. It’s more than cognitive, more than imaginative. It’s mysterious, it’s magical, it’s holy. We tap into something so much larger than ourselves when we set out to create. For this project, the membrane between me and that greater fountain of truth and beauty was thinner than usual. Even though there are clearly pieces of me in Judith, she is so much more than I could have chosen or desired to create. She appeared; she showed up. She had a voice of her own and a story to tell. It sounds absurd, or self-indulgent, but there it is. I’m a witness. And I pray for more of these kinds of experiences.

*****

Isn’t Julie fantastic? I’ve spent much of my life wishing Julie’s characteristics would somehow rub off on me. I’m so lucky to call her my friend. Julie has generously offered a signed copy of ALL THE TRUTH THAT’S IN ME. Leave a comment to enter the drawing. Tweet or share via Facebook and I’ll enter you again. Winner will be chosen Wednesday October 2nd via random number generator.

I adore Carol Lynch Williams. She is not only a talented and prolific writer, but an amazing woman with a wicked sense of humor, and a fine alto to boot. (I know this because I got to sit next to her in church one Sunday during our VCFA residencies). Following graduation, she has continued to write (a lot), teach (a lot), and mentor (a lot) all while mothering her five daughters. And did I mention she blogs?

Recently, Carol answered some questions about the conference, her work, and life in general.

Tell us about the WIFYR conference? What makes it special?

Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers is all about helping those who want to write and publish for kids and young adults. Our goal is to help your work become publishable — and not just that great first chapter. The conference — which lasts a week long — has all kinds of classes. For example, we have a class if you are struggling with those icky middles, one if your novel is completed and needs fine tuning, one that addressees the first 50 pages of work. There’s an illustrator class and, if you don’t have all day, you can sign up just for the afternoon sessions.

How long have you been running the conference? What made you decide to initiate it?

Many years ago a good friend of mine, Chris Crowe (Mississippi Trial, 1955 and Getting Away with Murder, just to name a few of his books) called me up. “If you could go to any kind of writing conference,” he said, “what would it be like? What is your dream writing conference?” Chris and I started dreaming together. We’d want editors and agents there. We’d have classes, led by published authors and illustrators. We’d keep those classes small, intimate. We’d focus on craft, on becoming better, stronger writers. We’d have afternoon sessions all about craft.

Our keynote is Lance Larson, Utah’s Poet Laurette. The keynote is free to the public.

There is a great closing social, lots of give-aways, and a book signing.

What is most exciting about this conference is that our faculty WANT to help you publish. I am already communicating with members of my class about Boot Camp. They will be doing homework long before we meet, and that week we will work hard, too. And laugh and have fun and improve.

What can a first-time attendee expect?

To be exhausted by the time the week is over. You’ll be working hard the whole week, with about 40 hours of work (including time in morning classes, afternoon sessions, and homework). If you are the faint of heart, this isn’t the conference for you. You can also expect to walk out knowing more about yourself as a writer, more about your writing, more about what makes GOOD writing and that you can do this! You can publish!

What’s new with Carol the Writer? What’s in the pipeline for you?

Let’s see — I have a series for early readers coming out from a new publisher. The first two books, GEORGE AND GRACIE, JUST IN TIME will debut with Familius Publishing this fall.

Next year I have two non-fiction books coming out, plus THE HAVEN (which is my dystopian novel) and a happy book (finally) from Paula Wiseman Imprints. THE HAVEN is released in the spring. Not sure about the Paula Wiseman book.

I’ve just sent in a loose proposal for a companion book to another novel I have already published.

Loyal readers of your blog know your philosophy of celebrating in the form of dinner out or a dance after write-a-thons. Give us your top 5 songs on a playlist for a celebratory dance or the menu for a celebratory dinner out.

What a fun question!
Here are a list of songs that I just shared with my WIFYR Boot Camp class, in no particular order:

I recently had a sparkling conversation with 11-year-old children’s book reviewer, Erik Weibel, aka Erik the Great. Some may consider Erik too young to be considered a professional book reviewer, but stay tuned. His awesome accomplishments, discerning eye and interesting opinions absolutely freshen the conversation about writing.

A very cool fifth grader who attends public school in Pennsylvania, Erik is the kind of boy who is equally comfortable in a suit or tee-shirt. “Especially ones with funny sayings!” he says. Instead of watching TV, he spends much of his time on his popular blog, http://www.ThisKidReviewsBooks.com. Not only does he review novels appropriate for his age and younger, he saves one day of the week to celebrate Perfect Picture Book Fridays, and on Thursdays, he interviews Creative Kid Writers! He’s a contributing writer for the Upper Bucks Free Press and you can find this 11-year-old reviewer’s presence throughout the social media. Erik is also an up-and-coming writer. He’s drafted a 9300-word fantasy chapter book called, The Adventures of Tomato and Pea: A Bad Idea.

Sounds like a good idea to me. I wondered how many books he’s read or reviewed and he shared this story.

ERIK: Our school takes part in an Accelerated Reader Program where you read a book, take a test and get points. In my school, the goal for a fifth grader for all year is 50 points. As of today I have 1361 points.

Sue: But what about for your blog?

ERIK: I have no idea. People ask me this a lot. I started to keep track on my blog of the books I read because I read a lot more than I review. As of today, April 25th, for the month, I have 23 books on the list and I don’t always keep track of the picture books or comics I read. I read a lot and it’s hard to keep track.

Sue: I’m in awe of you, Erik, of your passion for literature, and the amount of time you spend reviewing books. There are a zillion other activities in which 11-year-old boys typically spend their time, but you prefer books.

ERIK: I have always loved books and was with them since I was a toddler. I started reading pretty early. My parents don’t watch a lot of TV so books, especially comic books, were very fun for me. I wasn’t introduced to videogames until age 8 when I asked for a “LEGO Indiana Jones videogame” for Christmas (and got it), but I didn’t have a consol, and so my parents got my sister and I a Wii. 

Sue: Let’s talk about your process as a kid reviewer. Do you believe you create unique reviews? For writers and for your readers, why is your perspective different?

ERIK: I think mostly because I am a kid, and authors usually have adults review their book(s), and I provide what a kid thinks about the book. Sometimes I see things in a story an adult won’t think is cool or funny, but as a kid, I do.

Sue: What do you look for in a story that elevates it above others? Conversely, what turns you off immediately?

ERIK: There are a bunch of things that really get my interest. Setting, characters, plot, even illustrations.

I think a book that really makes you be able to imagine you are in the story is the best.

Sue: At age 11, you instinctively get John Gardner’s idea of the Fictive Dream and its importance in a reader’s experience. So cool.

Erik: I also like books that teach you something without you knowing it. I like a lot of historical fiction because of that. A story that has an awesome character that I REALLY like (it doesn’t even have to be the main character) is also going to be one I really enjoy.

Cursing and over the top violence are immediate turn-offs for me. If a book has a lot of mistakes, it really bugs me. Sometimes if a book starts off way too slow it’s hard to keep going. Most of the time I read the whole book anyway, but it isn’t as enjoyable as I would like.

Sue: We writers strive to create unforgettable characters. What makes a character unforgettable to you?

ERIK: Great acts of something (kindness, heroism, etc), complete changes (for the better), unusual things about him/her (manners, speech, etc.), a kid who really believes in him/herself and/or being a person I’d want to be like or friends with.

Sue: I’m going to tape that answer to my laptop! I notice that you also review self-published books. What is your opinion of them? Do you see any changes in them since the advent of ebooks and the proliferation of easy book production—i.e. quality, level of editing, etc.

ERIK: I think self-published books are a great way to get your book out there. I read a lot of self-published books where I think the book is as good, if not better, than the traditionally published ones I read. On the other hand, I read a lot of self-published books that you can tell haven’t gone through an editor. I find a lot of mistakes – errors, typos, holes in the plot, etc. I hate to read a self-published book FULL of mistakes (a little is fine – nobody is perfect!)

Sue: Who are your favorite MG Authors? PB Writers?

ERIK: MG – Matt Myklusch, Rick Riordan, Brandon Mull, Michelle Isenhoff, Timothy Davis, Tom Angleberger, Gordon Korman, Jude Watson, Jerry Spinelli, Michael Buckley, Nick Bruel, Brian Jacques…(I can go on and on). Pretty much whenever a book by any of these people come out, I run to get it.
PB – Eileen Spinelli, Mo Willems, Susanna Leonard Hill, Sandra Boynton, Alex Latimer, Nick Bruel (again). Again, when I hear about a new book coming out by these people, I want to get it!

Sue: You’ve told me you want to become a writer. Which author would you pick as your mentor and why?

ERIK: Michelle Isenhoff, because she has given me writing lessons before and has been a kind of mentor to me already and Matt Myklusch because he’s awesome and nice and Rick Riordan because that would be awesome (and who wouldn’t want him as a mentor?) and…

Sue: I’m sure all of them would love to have you for a student. If you could pick any author in all of time to interview, who would it be and why?

ERIK: Rick Riordan because that would be totally awesome and I would LOVE it if that happened (although I might faint). I once got to meet him at a book signing and he was SO nice. I told him I wrote a book review blog and I loved his books. He asked me if I had any questions for him and I did. I had a whole list – and I forgot ALL OF THEM! I was so nervous! I blogged about it and Mr. Riordan must have read it because he mentioned it in his blog and told me the answer to one of my questions! I’d also pick Brian Jacques, but sadly he passed away in 2010. His Redwall series is my favorite series of all.

Sue: I have a feeling some day readers might faint to be mentored by you. Reading as much as you do, what trends do you see in the Kid Lit market?

ERIK: Messages about bullying and friendships and being yourself. These are great messages to have in stories and I’m glad there are more books about these topics. There’s also a lot of magic stories, not that I don’t like them, but there are a bunch.

Sue: Speaking of bullies and friendships, what do your classmates think of your blog and your enjoyment of reading?

ERIK:Most kids I know think it’s pretty cool that I have a blog. I’ve had friends give me things to post that they wrote or drew. I haven’t had anyone be mean about it, but I also don’t really brag about it or anything like that.

Sue: Erik, you are clearly a thoughtful young man and reviewer, which is making me a bit nervous about this interview. So. . . what do you think of my questions?

ERIK: They were really fun! (seriously) I think it is so cool that people actually want to hear/read what I say.

Sue: I have a feeling your answers will result in an uptick in the number of your followers. We adult writers clearly have something to learn from you.

NOTE: I asked Erik to come up with his own question and here it is:

According to popular belief, you are not actually an eleven-year-old kid but an alien. Is this true? If so, can you say “Hello there! My name is Erik! How are you?” in their language?

ERIK: No, this is not true. I am really an eleven-year-old kid, but I went to the alien planet Zorggagonxz. And yes, I can say “Hello there! My name is Erik!” in Zorggagonxzi.

Didfagvi fijigf! Sdgln pgiffk dsgfi Zerikk!

I know it’s different from “Erik”, but that’s how they say it in Zorggagonxzian.

Sue: I’ve thoroughly enjoyed talking to you, Zerikk. But before we end, and since there may be some agents and editors reading, want to pitch your book?

ERIK: Sure! For years the evil villain Wintergreen has tried to destroy super crime-stopper, Tomato, and his sidekick, Pea, and take over planet Oarg. In a plan gone wrong, Wintergreen and his gang tangle with Tomato and his friends in a runaway rocket ship that crashes on a strange planet called EAR-TH. Follow this brawling bunch of aliens as they try to get along, survive all the dangers on the strange planet, and find a way to get back to Oarg.

Sue: Is there anything else you’d like to ask?

ERIK: Gfdvn dfzj fogpd?

Sue: I’ll have to get back to you on that.

**Note: Because of Erik’s age, This Kid Reviews Books is monitored and maintained by his parents. All social media sites are registered to his parents. However, all content on and design of his site and social media sites is by Erik unless otherwise noted.**

Today, I’m pleased to interview Cori McCarthy about her trailer for her YA debut, The Color of Rain, which comes out May 14th!

I was already excited to read Cori’s book, but this trailer made me rabid. I’m excited to look at another effective trailer that’s so different from Meredith’s trailer in both process and content.

Here’s what I asked Cori:

Did you have any collaboration with your publisher in making the trailer? Did they have conceptual input at all or feedback for you while it was in progress?

I decided to make the trailer because I was having a fun conversation with Amy Rose Capetta. I believe I said something like, “I have iMovie. Maybe I’ll just make one.” I fiddled around with it and made something that afternoon and sent it off to my publicist to hear her thoughts. She gave me some great feedback about shortening it (it went from one minute and ten seconds to fifty seconds, which actually made a big difference). She also suggested that my Kirkus quote should reveal during the voice over to engage the audience while they’re listening to the (rather long) text.

I should also note that Amy Rose is the one who thought it would be cool for the screen to go black when the voice over says, “For now.” She’s quite brilliant.

How was your trailer made? What software was used? Did you make it yourself? Hire someone?

I made the trailer all by myself! I used iMovie, which is extremely basic software that comes on all Macs. I find it to be effective while infuriating.

Trailers can be an investment. Did this cost you a lot or a little?

My trailer didn’t cost me anything but time. Here’s the breakdown: the original trailer took me an afternoon, about three hours, to make. However, finessing it and making the changes that my publicist suggested took a whole weekend.

Did you consider other approaches, and if so, how did you rule them out and land on this one?

Nope. Too poor to consider paying for a trailer.

The main image is from the cover, right? It’s very simple, yet the movement makes it feel like it was designed for this purpose. Did you have to modify that image to make it work for this?

I really wanted a space image for the background. I looked at some things online, but the problem is, you can get in a lot of trouble using something you find on the internet—you never know whose artwork you might be accidentally stealing. I knew that Running Press had purchased the background image for the book, so I used that fairly exclusively. I didn’t have to change it, per se, although I stretched it in places and colored it for the “gone scarlet” effect.

Is there any particular choice that really pleases you after seeing how it turned out?

I really like the way I blended two images to make it seem like the sunburst is actually happening around the side of the planet. I have to admit…that one was an accident that I just ran with.

You chose a really arresting piece of text for the voice over. What were you looking for in choosing it?

I wanted something visual, very specific, and not too science fictiony since I’m trying to entice non Sci-Fi fans with this book. (My agent calls it light Sci, heavy Fi.). Amy Rose helped me choose the passage concerning the bracelets, and I edited it down to keep it simple. I’m glad it’s, as you say, “arresting,” because the book contains graphic violence and sexual, emotional and physical abuse. While I want to engage readers, I also want to warn them that the subject matter is not for everyone, and definitely not for readers under the age of fourteen.

I think that is your voice? Correct me if I’m wrong. What was the recording process for that like?

I scribbled out what I wanted to say and sat on my bed with my iPhone. I recorded it using the Voice Memos app, and then emailed it to myself. I tried it many different ways…some more dramatically ridiculous than others, and ended up choosing the one where I was basically whispering. In fact, if you listen careful, you can hear my husband call my son’s name right before the planet turns red. Ha, I tried to edit that out, but Garage Band software angers me.

Where did you find the music for the trailer?

I played my guitar for the music. I tried a few lovely melodies and then realized that simple was best, strumming out a few harmonics.

Now that you have the trailer, what will you do with it?

I shall put it everywhere and hope that people share the link! I’m hoping that the trailer reaches unexpected readers and also helps people decide if they want to read it or not. Like I said before, my book is not for everyone.

Do you have any advice for an author who’s considering making a trailer for their book? Anything you wish you’d known going in?

I would say that you can make a trailer if you have a Mac, although I would never attempt such a thing on a PC—the freezes and subsequent information loss could be devastating.

As I reread my responses to your questions, it occurs to me that simple is best when it comes to trailers. There were lots of text-swoopy options that I tried that just looked too flashy, and in the end, I let the most dramatic aspect be the book text, which I hope makes it own statement.

If any writers out there are considering making a trailer and would like my input, please feel free to contact me. I might even be in the business of building them for friends for the low low price of a manuscript swap!

I’d like to invite my dear VCFA friend, Deb Gonzales to Quirk and Quill today. She has a long list of accomplishments.

She’s been a teacher, a school administrator, an educational consultant, a curriculum designer, a former adjunct professor, and a writing workshop instructor with an amazing Austin organization called Badgerdog Literary Publishing. She’s even taught PBS’s Barney kids in a one-room off-set Montessori classroom.

New Zealand’s Giltedge Publishing has published several of her early-readers. She’s also worked as a curriculum coordinator for Giltedge correlating their amazing products with American academic standards. As a freelance writer, she designs Book Discussion Guides, Reading Group Guides, and Teacher Guides.

What is your step-by-step process from start to finish for creating a Teacher’s Guide? How long does it take?

Deb Gonzales: I make the kind of guides that I found to be useful when I was teaching. I keep the educator in mind every step of the way. I know, from first-hand experience, how busy they are. I try to make the guides fit into the curriculum as easily as possible.

I also work to make each guide as unique as the book it is complimenting. I work to balance discussion questions with a follow-up activity of some sort. My intent is to keep the educator and reader connected with the book long after they’ve closed the cover.

This takes a lot of time on my part, probably too much. I work slowly and carefully, in attempt to honor the author and/or illustrators’ hard work. I’ve been privileged to work on some really great projects, and am eager to work on more!

Can you address some of the changes in Core requirements? How are they different from what was previously in place? What are the pros and cons of these changes in your opinion?

Deb Gonzales: I’m very experienced in aligning curriculum with various state standards, most especially those of Texas, California, and New York. I’ve been doing it for years now for a number of folks. It’s interesting to note how various states go about meeting basic educational requirements in both similar and contrasting ways.

I find working with the Common Core to be fascinating. It not only coordinates the various states’ efforts, it offers a systematic way to raise the academic bar. The basic thrust of the Common Core is to move beyond the basics by elevating thinking and reasoning skills. My challenge is to also do so in my guides. There is always something to learn. I like that.

How much research goes into the material you build into a Guide?

Deb Gonzales: This depends on the book I’m working on. Fictional picture books and chapter books usually don’t require as much research as non-fiction and historical fiction. That being said, I once worked on a fictional picture book about colorful moods and became lost in research about color theory! This happens often while researching for the MG & YA novels as well as non-fiction picture books. I just can’t help it. The topics are just so darn interesting.

Writers constantly revise their work before it gets published, how many revisions do you do on average before your Guide is finalized?

Deb Gonzales: That depends on the guide, too. I tend to work backwards, in that I begin developing the activities and then work on the discussion component. I find that this concrete thinking helps me to abstract questions about the story. I like to pull key quotations from the text and build questions around them. This is the aspect of guide-crafting that requires revision. There is usually so many great threads pull from, I have a hard time deciding where to begin.

What do you enjoy most about creating Guides?

Deb Gonzales: The variety of books that I get to work with. As I said earlier, each one is so different and requires a new way of thinking. I also enjoy working to coordinate a shared vision with the authors and illustrators. Oftentimes, they don’t know what a guide can do for them but they know they need one. Then, after the project is completed, they see the value of the guide and how they can help promote their books. Many times the authors and illustrators have found some of the activities in their guides to be useful content for school visits and program presentations.

What is your biggest challenge in creating a Book Guide? How do you overcome it?

Deb Gonzales: Biggest challenge? Time management. As with everything else, it’s a struggle to balance time to devote to my guide work, my own creative work, and the rest of my life. I tend to get happily lost in all of it – a great problem to have, right?

Sure is! How did you break into creating Teacher Guides?

Deb Gonzales: I come to the field of education as a Montessori teacher, trained to teach preschoolers to 6th grade, with additional studies in the field of Special Education. Both disciplines require a firm foundation of knowledge in cross-curricular lesson development. Add my years in directing arts and crafts programs for kids of all ages, plus my MFA from VCFA, and I’ve got a wealth of experience to bring to the guide creating table.

I first began correlating curriculum when I held the job as the on-set teacher for the Barney Show cast for a semester. Back in the early 90’s, PBS hired me to teach the cast in an elementary-aged Montessori classroom just outside of the rehearsal hall. I had eight students – first grade to seventh – to plan a semester’s worth of classwork to plan for. No two kids came from the same school district, so I contacted them all to find out what would be required to pass to the next grade-level. To meet the multi-level, cross-curriculum, I used Montessori materials, their textbooks, and anything else I could gather to meet their individual district’s criteria. It was one of those huge, high-profile, trial-by-fire jobs that turned out great.

In addition, in the late 90’s, I worked as the Educational Director and Test Coordinator for a new Charter School for Accelerated Learning in Dallas. Here I learned so, so much about computerized curriculum, text book purchasing, and standardized testing procedures. Once again, I was busy correlating academic elements for a wide range of high school curriculum. It was tedious work, but someone had to do it.

This background, and over 35 years in the field of education, has created a foundation from which to create academically sound guides. Funny how life unsuspectingly prepares one for their career journey, isn’t it?

Yes, it is, Deb. What advice would you give young people (or adults!) interested in a career creating Teacher Guides?

Deb Gonzales: Stay open to new ideas. Avoid the cookie-cutter approach to making these things. Schools are looking to incorporate new literature into the curriculum. Homeschoolers are looking for fresh new books to offer their kids. Libraries love the activities that accompany well-made guides. Have fun with it all and give it your very best effort, always.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Deb Gonzales: I’m thrilled to say that my daughter has now joined me in this enterprise. Together, we’re working to come up with some new formatting and a few other extras which will make the guides even better. More news to follow.

For now, thank you for this interview. I appreciate the opportunity to talk about my passion. Working on guides reminds me of a proverb my high-school counselor had posted in her office that went like this: When you find your true vocation, life is like a paid vacation! That’s me and my guides.

And it shows, Deb.

For more information about Deb Gonzales or a look at her guides, please click here.

You won’t go wrong working with Deb on your next book guide! I give her 5 stars and you will, too!

Today, I’m joined by Meredith Zeitlin, author of the delightful Freshman Year & Other Unnatural Disasters. Her debut YA follows the comic trials and tribulations of Kelsey Finkelstein as she navigates her first year of high school. Comic mayhem ensues, along with engrossing friendship drama.

Before I read this charming, funny, perfectly paced book, I was drawn in by its charming, funny, perfectly paced trailer.

This is one of the most successful book trailers I’ve seen, so I asked Meredith to share her process in creating it and offer up any insight she might have for authors who are considering producing a trailer of their own.

Here’s what she said:

Did you have any collaboration with your publisher in making the trailer? Did they advise you to do it? Did they have conceptual input at all or feedback for you while it was in progress?

Nope, nope, and nope. I’d never even heard of book trailers before a marvelous friend of mine, Anne Walls – who is a writer and also a producer/director – suggested I make one. We came up with the concept together, I paid to have it made, and when it was finished I showed it to the publisher.

How was your trailer made?

The amazing Anne, who lived in LA at the time, was a total rockstar about this project. She called in favors from a professional camera guy, DP, editor… who all worked for the cost of breakfast. She helped me rent a studio, props… everything was top of the line. I never could have done this – well, not without spending thousands and thousands of dollars – without her help and connections. So I was really lucky.

Trailers can be an investment. Did this cost you a lot or a little? If a lot, how did you weigh the decision to invest in it? If a little, how did you keep cost down?

As I said, I was really lucky – I was able to do the whole thing (including thank you gifts, flights for Anne to come to NY to work on the finished product, and food for the crew) for a fraction of what it might’ve cost me if I’d had to hire all those people for real. That fraction was still a decent chunk of cash – over a thousand bucks – but still, for what I got, that was pocket change. This is probably why most trailers are pretty low-budget projects; the publishers don’t pay for them, so it’s up to the author. I probably would’ve invested in the project anyway, though, because I thought it would be worth it to make something that would really stand out, especially as a first-time author with no buzz behind me. And ultimately I was right to do it, because the trailer got a lot of bloggers interested in the book!

Did you consider other approaches, and if so, how did you rule them out and land on this one?

We definitely didn’t want to do something linear, like a movie trailer, or anything where you’d see a “Kelsey” – one of the reasons I don’t really describe her, or any of the characters in the book, physically is because I want readers to picture her any way they want. So that’s why only her hands are visible in the trailer. We tossed around a lot of ideas and things we’d seen that we were interested in emulating. We watched LOTS of trailers. The thing that actually influenced us most was Napoleon Dynamite – or rather, the opening credits. We thought it was a cool way of presenting elements of the film without giving too much away. And we liked the way it looked. So we went from there to try and make it our own.

That’s an awesome inspiration! I love the hints of what’s to come in the book, and it’s satisfying to view it again after reading the book. What went in to choosing these teasers?

We basically went through the entire MS and chose all the plot points that we thought we could physically represent with items that would tantalize potential readers and get them interested in the story. We spent a loooong time choosing those items, trying to make sure they were hints and not too on the nose. We found out after we were finished that the publishers were concerned with the inclusion of the vodka bottle, so we cut a second, “G-rated” version for them to post on Amazon. Unfortunately, it’s been over a year and the trailer STILL isn’t up. But that’s a whole other interview…

I think it’s cool that you put it out there, upfront, yes, there is drinking in this book … What was the storyboarding and shooting process like?

Anne and I wrote a script, which she turned into a shooting script. That took a few weeks, just sending ideas back and forth over email. Then we figured out how to get all the props we couldn’t rent (the Annie doll was on ebay, Anne made the newspaper and the Foreign Scarves poster herself, I got my dentist to contribute the broken teeth and other dental tools, I “borrowed” the yellow construction helmet from the scaffolding that happened to be outside my building at the time…)

(Um, amazing)

…and then we had to figure out how we wanted it to look. The actress was a friend who had young-looking hands and was willing to work for free. The shoot itself took almost a full day, and I watched most of it happening on Skype from Brooklyn. Once we had the footage, the really tricky part started – editing. We went through several rounds of that, because I had a very specific idea of how I wanted the transitions to look, and how I wanted certain moments to line up with the music. I think Anne and the editor both wanted to kill me by the end, but we got it done. And I’m still alive!

Is there any particular choice that really pleases you after seeing how it turned out?

I absolutely love the trailer – after we edited it to within an inch of its life, it really was exactly what I imagined in my mind and more. The editor threw in some super cute touches that I hadn’t even thought of – the unicorn at the end, the effects with the transitional elements, like the text message… Anne came up with the rigging of the falling beard, which I think is hilarious. One thing that I REALLY wanted was the fast-motion unfolding of the note, which was tricky but turned out perfectly.

You happen to be a voice over artist, so it makes sense that you provided Kelsey’s voice. What choices did you have to consider in performing Kelsey’s voice?

I didn’t make any choices – that’s just my voice! Which makes sense, since Kelsey is very much me.

Where did you find the music for the trailer? It’s so perfect!

There was actually a song by Paloma Faith, a British singer, that I’d heard when I was recording a commercial months earlier. I loved the song – it was like it had been written about my book. When I found out the client hadn’t used the music for the commercial, I did everything I could think of to get in touch with Ms. Faith, but neither she nor her people got back to me. I didn’t want to use the song without her permission; I also really didn’t want to get sued! So I started searching on free/close-to-free music sites for something with a similar vibe. I listened to about a zillion songs til I finally found the piece we used, paid the fee, and went from there. There’s always a part of me that wishes I could’ve used the original song I’d wanted to use, but I think this one worked out really well.

Once you had the trailer, what did you do with it? What kind of impact did you find it had in bringing attention to your book?

We posted it everywhere we could think of! We tweeted it, we facebooked it, we emailed it to everyone we knew. I asked the publisher to do the same. Then I emailed it to every YA blogger I could find an email address for. We had hoped it would go viral, which didn’t happen, but we did get many, many responses from people who were really impressed with it – in particular, bloggers who wanted to post it on their pages, which is what really started to spread the word about the book. Exactly what I’d hoped for!

Do you have any advice for authors who are considering making trailers? Anything you wish you’d known going in?

Without Anne, who really knew the ins and outs of shooting, I’d’ve been toast. I guess my best advice would be to have a friend with connections to the film world who can hook you up. Not very helpful advice, I know, but honestly, I don’t know how else I would’ve made such a professional trailer. It just wouldn’t have happened – I’d have ended up with nothing, a powerpoint project, or spending a fortune. I know I keep saying over and over that I was lucky, but that’s the truth. Thanks, Anne!

Thanks, Meredith, for sharing your process! I’m looking forward to the follow-up to this book, Sophomore Year is Greek to Me, also from Putnam.

Every October, a select group of YA/MG writers, editors, and agents gather on the coast of California just south of Santa Cruz to participate in a weekend-long writing retreat to workshop manuscripts. It is also where writers dream of finding an agent and editor who fall in love with their manuscript. It was at PCCWW, the Pacific Coast Children’s Writers Workshop, where my dream editor, Erin Clarke, Executive Editor at Knopf of Random House first read Lara’s Gift and later acquired it. A BIG thanks to the brain child of PCCWW, Nancy Sondel who devotes a good chunk of her energy to ensure a solid workshop experience for writers hoping to improve their craft. Let’s welcome the director of PCCWW, Nancy Sondel!

AOB: What motivated you to establish the Pacific Coast Children’s Writers Workshop?

Imagination. And the desire to serve children’s book writers—because I am one myself.

Attending writers events over the years, I wished that my peers were not sequestered for one-on-one critiques with faculty. Those peers included friends whose manuscripts I had regularly critiqued. I was hungry to learn, first-hand, what editors and agents revealed behind closed doors. Did they talk about irresistible voice, plot twists, character nuances? Hey, I wanted to develop mine, too. Let me in!

I wondered how others solved the same challenges I faced—and what suggestions did various faculty offer? Also, did my critiquer not get/not like my story, or was she equally unhelpful (obscure, factually incorrect, hair-splitting) about others’ manuscripts? I wanted to be a fly on the critique-room wall. Or Charlotte, the writerly spider. Just give me a peek?

I was dismayed at critique sessions when I couldn’t comment promptly and intelligently on peers’ writing, which I’d never seen before. A seasoned professional can pull that off, but I certainly could not. And if the manuscript was read aloud to me, I was sunk. I’m a visual learner. I needed to see my peers’ manuscripts in advance. To escape being put on the spot, I actually made trips to the bathroom—better than shortchanging a deserving writer, or making a fool of myself!

As I submitted my manuscript weeks before various workshops, I worried. I longed for assurance that the as-yet-unknown faculty would feel an affinity with my story genre and/or theme. Instead, the seemingly-random assignments often resulted in odd pairings. Peers experienced the same frustrations. If this were my event, I thought, I’d make every effort to ensure good matches. And give writers even more opportunities…

My wish list grew. One day I stopped wishing: I envisioned, then built, my dream workshop.

I named it the Pacific Coast Children’s Writers Workshop, so it wouldn’t be tied to a single venue. Then I integrated elements I’d desired but not seen in similar events. Since our 2003 launch—with thanks to the feedback of loyal, enthusiastic alumni—PCCWW has evolved to the success it has become today.

AOB: What exactly is PCCWW; what makes it distinctive?

PCCWW is a collegial-style seminar designed for 16 accomplished and/or published novel writers. Its intimate, intensive format parallels that of graduate-level study—in fact, academic credit has been awarded to some of our enrollees. But, in addition to in-depth craft, we provide real-life experiences in the publishing world.

For example, we offer selected enrollees whole-novel critiques (up to approx. 250 pages) by a seasoned editor or agent. If you apply for this whole-novel critique, you may request one of our faculty (e.g., if you have an agent, you may want an editor critique). In the end, manuscripts are chosen by faculty who generally have interest in, and experience with, your manuscript and/or genre. With a whole-novel critique, you’ll meet with your faculty for 30 to 45 minutes on two different days.

As another option, writers with a work in progress may request a critique on 15 to 30 pages (plus synopsis) by one editor and agent—two professional perspectives.

With either track, you’ll receive both written and in-person critiques. These are presented in an open-clinic, “master class” format. With this setup, all enrollees may observe (and eventually join) the discussion between author and faculty. And you don’t have to be a spider or a fly!

To maximize your benefits, you’ll be emailed peers’ manuscripts approximately three months before the seminar. You’ll select some partials and one or more whole novels to critique. Then at our event, you may compare your observations to those of the pros—an opportunity to hone your self-editing skills, while seeing the innermost workings of editors’ and agents’ minds. This format may also show you how other writers address problems similar to your own.

Additional critiques, partial or full, are available by our faculty author—and (no fee) by articulate, target-audience teens who are enrolled in their concurrent workshop.

At least one more feature makes PCCWW distinctive: our setting. You won’t be in a small hotel room, hearing street or foot traffic at all hours. Instead, you’ll lodge in an attractive, spacious townhouse with full kitchen, fireplace, large living room, and decks. Pajaro Dunes’ two miles of private, pristine coast are unbelievably quiet—the loudest sounds are seagull cries and crashing ocean waves. Treat yourself to a working vacation!

AOB: PCCWW is now in its 11th year. In what ways has it evolved, and how do these changes benefit writers?

After PCCWW had been launched for a few years, I found myself again wishing and what-iffing. Two changes resulted:

1) TeenSpeak Programs: I wondered what “real” (tween and teen) readers thought of my characters—an objective, articulate opinion, not influenced by personal connections with me, the author. So, I created TeenSpeak Critiques Service, in which I trained teens to edit and give feedback to adults who submitted manuscripts. It was (and is) successful, with some authors going on to publish what teens had edited. That program gave birth in 2009 to TeenSpeak Novel Workshop, concurrent with PCCWW. With this setup, teens and willing adults benefit mutually from each other’s critiques—enlightening for all.

2) Whole-novel critiques by faculty: As our enrollees became more advanced each year, it became pointless to offer critiques only on opening chapters. Who can move forward amid multiple critiquers’ suggestions on the very same pages, as if trapped in a revolving door? So, I offered faculty critiques on “later chapters”; i.e., the beginning plus a jump (summarized) to a troublesome scene farther into the book. We still offer this option on partials.I brought presenters to develop weekend themes on crafting a synopsis and whole-novel revision. Finally, the day came for a metamorphosis: enrollees’ whole-novel critiques by an editor or agent. People advised me that the idea wouldn’t fly, either for writers or overworked faculty. Well, I’d heard that “can’t” song before. Folks had been equally wary of the master class format. But fly, it did. As has our whole-novel workshop—which still has wings.

Another perk: With our increasingly advanced group of writers each year, we have accordingly attracted more top-level presenters. October 2013 will mark the third consecutive year that a VP publisher/executive editor has joined our faculty. These editors present at conferences once every one to five years. It’s an amazing honor and opportunity that they agree to join us. This year’s faculty so far includes Regina Griffin, Executive Editor at Egmont USA, and agent Fiona Kenshole (Transatlantic).Fiona was formerly Publishing Director at Oxford University Press Children’s Books, and an editorial director at HarperCollins. See more details on our faculty page.

AOB: What can writers look forward to experiencing at PCCWW? What’s a typical day like?

Two words: Never dull! Days are packed with novel-crafting sessions, but also offer time to enjoy nature, camaraderie, or personal writing.

Friday activities start at 3:00 PM, with two after-dinner sessions and optional beach bonfire. Saturday runs from 8:45 AM to 6:00 PM, with periodic breaks during the day. Sunday runs from approx. 8:30 AM to lunch at 12:45. (Stay as long as you like.) No raffles, etcetera, at PCCWW, but we do like to help enrollees and faculty promote their books.

If you’re an early riser, you may opt to start your day beach-walking. At your first daily workshop session, you’ll have whole-group activities such as master classes, Spot Critiques (a variation on First Pages), and Q&A. Then, throughout the weekend, you’ll have periods of 30 to 90 minutes in which you either attend a whole-novel consult (yours or a peer’s) or block off free time for yourself. Perhaps stroll among flowers, eucalyptus, a bird-inhabited lagoon or grassy field. Or relax on your beachfront balcony.

Meals are catered in our townhome, providing comfortable, fun opportunities to chat with faculty—inside or outside. The ratio of adult enrollees to faculty is 1:6. Cozy.

Focus sessions: Spread throughout the weekend, these four are are grouped below for a convenient quick glance.

• Scenes, the Building Blocks of Story. You’ll have a pre-assigned exercise, involving critique of a scene—your own, that of a peer, and/or of a brief movie excerpt we’ll view together. Our multi-talented faculty agent (former editor and film executive) will facilitate the topic, showing how fiction and film intersect—using cinematic techniques to bring your story to life. Additional TBA craft session led by our editor.

• Line editing: Style and Such. What choices do editors (and sometimes agents) suggest, and why? How can you enhance your micro-editing to make your manuscript shine? We’ll study writing samples from PCCWW enrollees’ manuscripts.

To receive the Early Bird discount and consideration for your preferred critique option(s), submit your application materials (includes first 30 manuscript pages and deposit) by May 20. Deadline for “first wave” applications is June 20, after which faculty selections for whole-novel critiques will be completed.

We may have additional openings beyond this date (in any category), so don’t hesitate to inquire.

Most final, complete manuscripts must be submitted by June 28 (teens August 28). However, some fulls may be submitted later in summer, per faculty approval. We try to accommodate such requests, but there can be no guarantees.

I’m passionate about PCCWW and TeenSpeak for the same reason I pursue writing a novel. It is labor; it is love. And it tickles multiple parts of my brain.

Like my novel, PCCWW started with a vision. The image has been sustained through analysis and organization, decisions and revisions, and, always, inspiration. But, unlike the development of my novel, these two workshops give me an annual marker of completion—a finite, tangible sense that the job is done.

At the end of each event, I see enrollees and myself leaving wiser than when we arrived. I see the next generation of children’s book writers headed back to school, having exchanged gems of wisdom with their adult counterparts. And I see all of us writers one step closer to our respective goals of debut or renewed publication.

Some of our writers have signed with PCCWW editors or agents as a direct result of our workshop. Other enrollees attribute their success to the PCCWW faculty (and peer) critiques they received. For example:

Joni Sensel, author of four novels; her PCCWW agent sold The Farwalker’s Quest and The Timekeeper’s Moon (Bloomsbury); Bobbie Pyron,author of The Ring(WestSide Books), A Dog’s Way Home (Tegen/HarperCollins), andThe Dogs of Winter(Scholastic);Tracy Holczer, author of The Secret Hum of a Daisy (G.P. Putnam’s, 2014); Mary Cronk Farrell, author of award-winning Fire in the Hole! (Clarion); Annemarie O’Brien, Lara’s Gift (Knopf, August 2013); and others. See more testimonials on our website.

Quirk and Quill readers: I look forward to welcoming you and your manuscript at PCCWW for a weekend of stories by the sea!

My dear friend and fellow Vermont College of Fine Arts grad, Annemarie O’Brien, tagged me to be the next stop on The Next Big Thing Blog Tour, a sort of chain letter for authors. This tour provides a chance for readers to get to know various children’s book authors and illustrators through their blogs. Google The Next Big Thing Blog Tour to see where this started and how many authors have participated. Stay tuned to meet other authors along the way.

1) What is the working title of your next book?

Since I have not formally marketed my first book or given it the attention it so deserves, I will talk about my middle-grade novel, SPANKY: A Soldier’s Son.

I had been working on a few picture books and a second middle-grade novel about a girl coming of age in 1968 when my life took an abrupt change. I became a captain as well as navigator, crew, cook, detailer and provisioner, cruising full-time with my husband on our 16-year-old trawler, FREEBIRD.

Freebird, Great Kills Harbor, Staton Island, NY

Marketing a book at the same time just wasn’t in the cards–the challenges of this adventure required my full attention. So I e-published and created a print-on-demand version of my first novel, SPANKY: A Soldier’s Son, before we departed.

2) Where did the idea come from for the book?

SPANKY’S story began as a simple tale about a boy who wanted to make his dad proud. But by the time I published it, the novel had evolved into a more fully fleshed out story with the multiple themes of bullies and war, facing fears, communication, friendship and the true meaning of being a hero.

3) What genre does your book fall under?

Children’s Literature: Middle-Grade Fiction.

4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Whoa. I had to spend some time on IMDB to figure this one out! I’d pick Renee Zellweger to be Spanky’s mom, Matt Damon for his dad, Olivia Wilde as Miss Anders, Queen Latifa would make a perfect Ms. Badu and since I don’t know many child actors, I’ll opt for child versions of Naomi Cambell or Jennifer Lopez for Jazz, Mollie Ringwald or Jennifer Lawrence for Maggie, Gregory Peck for Darwin, Russell Crowe for Mack Malone, and (yeah, I know) Heath Ledger for Spanky – or I’d just recast young versions of the Breakfast Club members.

5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When his hero dad is shipped to Afghanistan, snake sketcher, camping lover Spanky McDougal, who must face his debilitating fears about bullies–both at school and in war, gets the girl, saves the day and ultimately becomes a real life hero.

6) Who is publishing your book?

When we decided to cruise for a year,
my editing company, My Climbing Tree, LLC,
e-published SPANKY and recently produced a print-on-demand copy through CreateSpace.

7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

The first draft? A year. But after recognizing the real story? About six years.

8) What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It is a contemporary, school-based coming of age story, with influences from Jerry Spinelli, Beverly Cleary, Robert Cormier, and probably JD Salinger, but I personally haven’t read anything that is similar. One child who wrote me said Spanky’s voice reminded her of Percy Jackson. I guess I should read one of the books in that series!

9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?

There were a multitude of inspirations. Many years ago, someone who must have been in a lot of his own pain told me I’d disappointed my recently deceased father. That and growing up in a neighborhood of 14 bullies ignited the idea. Aching over the news stories that covered children trying to navigate life with a deployed parent broadened the story. The encouragement of a fellow Vermont College writer, Trent Reedy, who served in Afghanistan propelled it. A Vermont College lecture on the politics of Dr. Seuss by M.T. Anderson deepened it. And realizing that there will likely always be wars against bullies of all ages, I wanted to write a school-based coming of age story that also asks questions about war, about young and old bullies without giving the answers. Ultimately, this is a story about friendship, and the importance of facing and communicating your fears.

Thank you for tuning in. I hope you’ll pick up a copy of SPANKY: A Soldier’s Son, for yourself or the 7-12 year old in your life. Or perhaps let me help you donate a copy to a military child. Contact me through my website, MyClimbingTree.com.